Couture's camp says UFC 118 bout with Toney isn't at catchweight

http://mmajunkie.comRandy Couture and James Toney seem to be on different scales when it comes to their fight.

This past Saturday, Toney told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that the boxer vs. MMA fighter bout, which is scheduled to co-headline Boston’s UFC 118 event on Aug. 28, will be a catchweight affair. UFC officials later confirmed the plans.

But Couture’s representatives today said that they’ve heard no such thing, and the UFC Hall of Famer is expecting to fight at heavyweight.

Couture (18-10 MMA, 15-7 UFC), who recently turned 47, fought his most recent two fights as a light heavyweight and defeated Brandon Vera and Mark Coleman at UFC 105 and UFC 109, respectively. The move came after two losses in the heavyweight division, including the loss of his title to Brock Lesnar at UFC 91.

Meanwhile, the 41-year-old Toney (0-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has fought as a heavyweight for the past seven years of his boxing career, though he made his professional debut at 160 pounds.

During initial UFC 118 negotiations, the fight was conceived as a 215-pound catchweight fight, though the idea was later abandoned.

Toney, who has fought as heavy as 237 pounds during his illustrious boxing career (72-6-3 career mark), did not specify the catchweight limit when he spoke to MMAjunkie.com, though he wasn’t shy about the reason behind the change in weight.

“They want to make it easy for Randy,” Toney said. “They’re trying to please him. Whatever they want to do, we can do it.”

Sam Spira, Couture’s lawyer, stressed that the bout is signed as a heavyweight fight.

“The Toney camp couldn’t agree to a catchweight, and there’s been no discussion about it thereafter,” Spira said today. “I suggest James Toney stop playing with dolls and focus on the fight.”

Spira, of course, is referring to Toney’s recent antics at UFC 116, where he showed up to a media luncheon with a Couture figurine adorned in a Barbie-like dress.

UFC officials could not immediately be reached for comment today.

Some MMA pundits have suggested Toney’s 5-foot-10 frame would be better suited for the 205-pound light-heavyweight division – especially considering the massive wrestlers who reside in the UFC’s heavyweight division. But Toney says he’s just fine at heavyweight even if the Couture matchup won’t allow him the full 60-pound weight range of the class.

Thus, the catchweight isn’t on his behalf.

“I could fight at 205, but why should I?” Toney asked. “Me not being effective against Brock Lesnar? That’s crazy. I fought Sam Peter. Sam Peter is bigger than he is. I fought Hasim Rahman. He’s bigger than him. I fought John Ruiz. He’s bigger than him.

“Everybody I fought the last eight or nine years is bigger than me. They outweighed me, and I never had a problem with it.”

For more on UFC 118, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.
(Pictured: Randy Couture)

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